By definition, grace is free. It's an unearned gift, an unmerited favor. But when Christians say that salvation is only by God's grace false Christians call it "cheap grace". But the term "cheap grace" doesn't make sense because grace is, by definition, free.
Cheap grace... is too expensive. True grace isn't cheap, it's FREE.
We can obtain salvation because Jesus gave his precious life on the cross. But people who say "It's not enough to believe in Jesus, you must also do good works if you want to be saved" are saying that what Jesus did for us was not enough.
Jesus already paid the price, so we don't have to pay anything.
Romans 3:24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Justification is free by his grace. We're saved by grace, it's free, there's nothing for us to pay, because Jesus already paid the price.
Romans 5:15: But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
God's grace allows us to receive a GIFT: the gift of salvation. By definition, a gift is free. If I have to pay 1 cent to have something, it's not a gift. If I have to work to have something, it's not a gift, it's my salary. If you get something after working for it, it's a salary, not a gift.
Romans 5:16: And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
Romans 5:17: For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Righteousness is also a gift.
Romans 5:18: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
You can obtain the free gift of salvation by the righteousness of one (Jesus), not by your own righteousness, because the Bible says in Romans 3 "There is none righteous, no, not one" and "there is none that doeth good, no, not one."
Nobody is good enough, nobody is righteous enough to be saved, even those who try to obey God's commandments (Romans 3:20, Romans 9:31-32)
Romans 5:19: For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
You have to be righteous if you want to go to heaven. And because of the obedience of one (Jesus), not our obedience, many people will be righteous and go to heaven.
Romans 5:20: Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
You will fail at trying to obey the law. The Bible teaches that there's no righteous person, nobody is sinless (Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12) and we all need God's forgiveness. Even those who were the closest to God failed at obeying all the commandments. Adam, Moses, Aaron, Peter, etc.
Romans 11:6: And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
This verse clearly teaches that if something is obtained by grace you don't have to work for it. Because grace is free. If you try to do good works to have God's grace you won't have it. If you try to pay or work to get something God gives for free, he won't give it to you.
People who think it's not enough to believe in Jesus to be saved are implicitly saying "Thank you Jesus for being beaten, spat on, being crucified and shedding your precious blood on the cross for me... but the price you paid wasn't enough... that's why I try to add my own good deeds (even though the Bible says all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags)"
2 Corinthians 9:15 says: Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
All religions teach that you have to do good works and avoid committing sins if you want to be saved. But true Christianity says that all you need to do to go to heaven is believe (trust) in Jesus. If you just believe the right things about Jesus you obtain the gift of righteousness, the gift of salvation, the gift of justification, etc. That's why salvation is an unspeakable gift. Because by the obedience of one (Jesus) we can have these things. It's a gift, it's free, it's easy, it's by grace. Jesus paid the ultimate price. He paid it for us and there's nothing we have to pay for in order to be saved.
Some false Christians would say grace is costly because it cost Jesus's life, therefore we have to pay for grace. That's false because the Bible says in Isaiah 64:6: But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;
All our good works are not enough to save us. Even if you did many good works they wouldn't be as important as what Jesus did for mankind. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2) and the sins of all the people who were born after his crucifixion. So what kind of good work can someone add to that ?
Revelation 21:6: And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
John 4:10: Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Revelation 22:17: And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
If you want salvation you have to believe in Jesus and ask him to save you and he will give you salvation. Believe and ask. Just come to Jesus by faith. You don't have to give your life to Jesus, you don't have to repent of all you sins, you don't have to give everything up because that's a lot of work. Just come and get it, for free.
John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Anyone who believes in Jesus (as described in the Bible, not the Quran or other books) will have eternal life (salvation). But a lot of people will say that believing in Jesus includes doing good works. They say that if someone doesn't do works, that person doesn't really believe in Jesus. That's false because the Bible says in Romans 4:5: But to him that worketh not, BUT believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
This verse proves that if you don't do works for God... BUT you believe... your faith is counted for righteousness. The word "but" shows that faith and works are different things. And the entire verse proves that if you don't do good works but you believe in Jesus, you will obtain Jesus's righteousness.
The problem is that many Christians misinterpret some verses like James 2:17 which says: Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. So many false Christians don't understand this verse and say things that are false.
They say "Faith without works is dead, so faith without works doesn't exist". If faith without works doesn't exist, why does verse 17 says "ALONE" ? If faith doesn't exist without works, the word "alone" doesn't make sense. If something doesn't exist... it can't be alone.
They also say "Faith without works is dead, so faith without works doesn't do anything/is useless". If faith without works doesn't do anything, why does Romans 4:5 and Romans 4:6 say that God makes people righteous if they have faith but don't do works ?
Faith without works exists and is useful and it works. What James chapter 2 teaches is that if you have faith but you don't help those in need (food, clothes, etc.) your faith doesn't help them.
James 2:14-16: What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Can faith without works save him ? Who is "him" ? The brother/sister in need. Can your faith save someone in need if you don't give him food/clothes ? No.
Romans 4:6: Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.
This shows that God imputes righteousness to people who don't do works.
Lets recap...
- Grace, by definition, is free, not earned/deserved. You don't pay or work for it. Otherwise it's not grace (Romans 11:6)
- Righteousness is a gift by faith without works (Romans 4:6, Romans 5:17)
- Justification is a free gift (Romans 3:24)
- Justification is by faith not by works (Galatians 3:11,24, Acts 13:39, Romans 5:1,9)
- Salvation is by God's grace through our faith in Jesus, not faith + works (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 11:6)
- Faith without works does exist, it makes people righteous and justified.